Keeping Score
by DimensionSlip
Summary: [Post-Eldrant] Jade, along with the others, believed that they could forge their own future without destroying the planet's memory. They were wrong. And the so-called madman was right.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own _Tales of the Abyss_.

_Summarized A/N:_ This story is Jade-centric, with a bit of Peony thrown in. I have completed the draft of this story, and there will be 12 chapters in total, including the prologue and the epilogue. My goal is to publish a chapter once per week, though this is variable depending on how busy I am and how interested people are in this story I am about to tell. The first chapter is exempted from this, as I plan to have it up by Sunday once my beta reader gets around to checking it. If you want to read the long version of this A/N, please check the link on my profile. Feedback, as always, is greatly appreciated. In any case, I hope you enjoy this story!

* * *

_ND2019, the forces of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear shall march northward, through the Rugnica Plains. After inflicting atrocities upon the villages in their wake, the army shall surround the fortress capital. Within a fortnight, the city shall fall. The Kimlascan army will stain the Malkuth throne with the blood of its last emperor. Their howls of victory shall resound throughout the land._

* * *

"I, who stand in the full light of the heavens, command thee, who opens the gates of hell."

A glyph formed beneath the cloaked man's feet as he paused before a large doorway. Corpses donned in red and blue alike surrounded him, the hallways stained with their blood. Yet, he remained unperturbed as he continued casting his spell—as if he was used to such scenes in his life.

"Come forth, divine lightning!" Sparks began to crackle and dance in the air, visible as the density of third fonons increased. "This ends now!"

Two parallel glyphs appeared as he raised his arm upwards, and with it an increase in volume.

"_Indignation!_"

With a loud explosion, the door to the hall flew open, and with it, the end for those souls still inside. Lightning burst inside the room; its dissonance accompanied by the haphazard melody of screams and groans of the fallen as they were mercilessly struck down by the storm that overtook the hall.

The cloaked stranger entered the hall as soon as the storm died down. Cold red eyes swept the battlefield as its owner unblinkingly wove through the sea of corpses left by the arte's wake. Oblivious to the stench of death that surrounded him, he stood in front of the bloodstained chair that used to host Malkuth's emperor in the once-majestic audience hall of the Malkuth Imperial Palace.

_...The Kimlascan army will stain the Malkuth throne with the blood of its last emperor._ A mirthful smile escaped him. Those fools really did follow that goddamned Score to the very last letter. Whatever happened to creativity nowadays? _Well_, he thought, _if that was how they wanted to play their game, so be it_.

Turning on his heel with his cloak following in a sweeping motion, he proceeded to exit the room when a movement caught the corner of his eye. On instinct, he was about to draw his weapon when a realization hit him. The spell earlier definitely would not have left anyone alive. He made sure of it, putting every ounce of power into that already powerful arte. If it was not an enemy, then—someone he marked as a friend a long time back? No, it couldn't—given the power of his spell and his lack of direction—but it _was_ possible in one out of about a hundred or so cases.

There was only one way to know for sure. Shaking his head, as if to get rid of the annoying spark of hope that crept up his chest, he turned back again and approached the source of the movement. Hope was a useless emotion, just waiting to be stamped out once reality had its way—the professor, Luke—what good did hope ever do for them?

Yet, as he sighted a familiar blond crown in the sea of red and blue, just once more, he dared to hope.


	2. Chapter 1

Peony Upala Malkuth IX was no stranger to death, or so he liked to believe. Attendance in state funerals was a matter of course of him, as was visiting the dying in soldier camps, offering what consolation or inspiration he could to those whose time was almost up.

There was also the matter of losing all his brothers and sisters, which inevitably led to his coronation. Long before that, he also lost Professor Nebilim, along with it the innocence of his two dearest friends—though innocence was perhaps too subjective a term. He also had an experience dancing with it more times than he could count, what with assassination plots being something that he dealt with on a regular basis, on top of considering the number of rappigs he owned throughout his stint as the Emperor of Malkuth.

Really, though, he was more than willing to welcome him with a cup of tea when it came knocking on his door. Score be damned—it was the only certainty that was there in anyone's future.

Alas, Death was never that straightforward.

When he lasted check—or as far as he knew—Death did not have auburn locks tied in a loose bun and waved in incoming clientele with soup ladles in hand. Neither did Death wear full skirts nor devastating smiles and speak with that all-too familiar voice-

"You're awake," "Death" greeted, her bespectacled face impassive as her red eyes bore into him. No, this was not Death, this was-

"Nephry?" Peony managed to rasp out, his own voice sounding foreign to him.

"Try again." The person offered him a glass of water, which he gratefully accepted. Midway through the refreshing liquid, he nearly choked upon seeing the all-too familiar smirk crossing the "woman's" face.

"Jade?" His disbelief was probably apparent due to the ever-widening smirk on Jade's face. Recognition gave a new meaning to devastating as he described that smile earlier, and as such, he mentally stamped out the word link from his memory. Of all the things he expected to see in the afterlife, it certainly was not his best friend in drag. Unless of course it was some punishment, as the sight and idea would have typically been more than enough for him to claw his own eyes out, if not for the fact that he looked and sounded like a she.

As if sensing his thoughts, Jade said, "I applied a fonic arte to my throat. I would no sooner pass for a woman than a rappig would pass for a cheagle."

Peony chuckled his agreement, though it was short-lived as he began to contemplate his surroundings. Thatched roof, wooden walls, pots and pans hanging in a far corner, and of course there was Jade in front of him. Speaking of rappigs, it was probably wise to assume that none of his pets made it, unfortunate as it was. His expression sobered momentarily, then turned curious as he fixed his gaze back on Jade. If that was not Death playing tricks in front of him, then where-

"In case you were wondering, you are currently in a settlement tucked in Tataroo Valley, inside a makeshift hut constructed by yours truly."

Jade blazed on before Peony could open his mouth to reply. "No, you're not dead—as much as your enemies wish for that, and no, this is not a dream, and if you want me to prove it as such, you are more than welcome to be my guest, Your Majesty. Though I could not guarantee a painless proof if I were to do the honors."

Peony fell silent at those words, not daring to take up Jade on his offer. The stiffness of his joints as he tried to move his arms and legs, as well as the dull ache in his chest seemed to indicate as much—if not the faint chatter of the townsfolk and the moos he could hear from his bed. Certainly, cows did not exist in the afterlife, did they not?

Coldness seized his heart as he finally considered that reality, dread washing over him as his chest constricted in response to a sudden realization. "How long have I been like this?"

"A month," Jade replied as a matter of fact.

"A month?!" Peony shot up from his bed, only to cringe visibly as a sharp pain coursed down his back.

"Your Majesty, I suggest refraining from such movements until you have fully recovered," Jade said reprovingly, his face a mask of disapproval. "I wouldn't want all of my hard work the past few weeks to all go to waste because a silly boy could not keep his limbs to himself."

Peony sighed in defeat and lay back on the bed, returning to studying the thatched roof of the hut. As much as he wanted to go out of the house and see the world for himself then and there, he knew better than to disobey Jade's advice. Well, he supposed, he could probably worm the information he needed from the said person. What was he doing in Tataroo Valley? Shouldn't he be in Grand Chokmah, not playing house with Jade? Also, why was he thinking about Death earlier? Just what-

Then, the haze that was his thoughts cleared, and it all came rushing back.

_War._ They were at war back then. It was so sudden; the Malkuth military did not have time to prepare properly. After ambushing the Malkuth troops at Kaitzur, the Kimlascan army marched their way across the Rugnican Plains, and while by no means unnoticed, were quick. Too quick. Even with the landships and troops ready to meet them, there was the matter of hover drives that they employed, which quickly turned the tide into Kimlasca's favor as the Malkuth forces were too busy holding off the Kimlascan army from ravaging Engeve and St. Binah.

The unexpected use of machines like the Albiore proved to be the empire's downfall. While most of the Malkuth Empire's forces were busy fighting at the Rugnican Plains, Kimlascan forces were able to ambush the said army from behind, while simultaneously raiding the capital from the air.

He remembered his advisers telling him to run for it. Hide and live, so that the Empire would be able to continue to hope. But he did not. He stood in his throne room, fending off attackers with his inexperienced blade, waiting for the mastermind to come out as his generals fell around him. An exercise in futility, for it was only a matter of time until a soldier struck him down, running his blade through his abdomen.

He was supposed to be dead. But how? How did he survive that ordeal? His gaze then flew to Jade. _Jade..._ He must have done something. But what was it?

His face must have betrayed the shock he felt, for Jade spoke, "...You'd better rest."

"No."

Jade let out an exasperated sigh. "Your Majesty, now is not—"

"I need to know. What happened during the past month while I was knocked out? How did I even survive?"

"There isn't much," Jade said tonelessly. "The Empire fell. Engeve, St. Binah, and Grand Chokmah have been left for ruin. Keterburg has been officially declared Kimlascan territory. Survivors of Malkuthian descent are considered less than third class citizens." Jade took a deep a breath. "As for surviving, it's a feat none other than the Necromancer could pull off, don't you think?"

Peony narrowed his eyes at Jade. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Since I am no Seventh Fonist, I had to place you in a catatonic sleep so you could recover from that stab wound and the other injuries you incurred in battle. Well, to be exact, it was more of a state of suspended animation rather than a catatonic one, but I'm glad the experiment worked out. Though, the credit for the healing proper should go to Miss Tear Grants, who kindly helped out during the first month of your confinement."

Peony heaved a sigh of relief. "I see." At least no necromancy was involved. "Where is she now?"

"She had to leave, for she had other business to take care of."

"How about Nephry?"

"I don't know."

"Saphir?"

"I don't know."

In response, he shot up from where he lay, biting back a wince as he got on his feet. Wobbling slightly on his feet as he tried his best to ignore what seemed to be spikes piercing every inch of his body, he took several tentative steps forward and glared at Jade as he clutched the edge of a nearby table for support. "How could you not know? One of them is your sister, and the other is your close friend and research partner!"

"While I concede the lattermost statement regarding the latter person, you do have to note that my movement is extremely limited, considering I've had to babysit an unconscious emperor who foolishly decided to fight instead of fleeing."

"What kind of emperor leaves his people alone while they're fighting valiantly?" Peony's glare did not let up, though inwardly, he knew that Jade had a point regarding his circumstances.

Jade's gaze remained cool as his red eyes engaged Peony's blue ones. "Someone who knows that there's more of a future for his kingdom when he's alive rather than when he is dead."

Silence fell over the two as none of them backed down from their stands, until Jade decided to tear his gaze away from Peony. "If you will excuse me," Jade said, turning his back towards him, "I must get going."

"In that get-up?" Doubtful, Peony raised an eyebrow at him. "Where?"

"Yes." Jade returned Peony's raised brow with one of his own, as if to challenge him to mock him for his appearance. "To Chesedonia."

"I'm coming with you."

"No."

"Why not?"

"This has been a trip I have been delaying for months, as I have wasted enough time—"

"You haven't answered my question," Peony said, finding his voice fortunately steady as circulation returned to his limbs.

Jade sighed in resignation. "This is a journey I must undertake alone. Based on what I have confirmed, both of us have been declared dead by the Kimlascan military. However, their top brass know better and are still searching for us. I refuse to put you in danger for something this trivial, especially since now that you're well on the way to recovery."

"'Something this trivial'? I still have a lot of questions and none of them are going to be answered as I sit around here! Also, what makes you think I will be safe here?"

"No one except me knows of your true identity, and you'll blend in with the townsfolk easily enough."

"I've had it with sitting around and waiting for things to happen. I want to see things for myself and do what I can to help."

"Then stay. You are this country's hope, and you are of no use to it dead."

"No. There is no guarantee that the Kimlascan army will not siege the settlement, and oh, kill everyone in here because they felt like it."

"The chances of that happening is very unlikely considering how Kimlasca has deemed everything in the Ispanian Peninsula and Rugnican Plains as unworthy of their attention, especially after their multiple sweeps throughout the said regions. They have failed as far as making sure that everyone that needed to stay dead stayed dead, but that works to our favor," Jade then threw him a pointed look at the bed. "As for you, you'd better lie down again, else, I will make you."

Peony folded his arms and shook his head. "If you did that, then wouldn't you be risking reopening my wound even more?"

"Touché," Jade said, but made no move to push through with his earlier threat.

"Besides, don't you need someone to cover for you while you're casting your spells? You can't just Energy Blast everything in your way, you know?"

"You are clearly forgetting that I am able to channel fonons through my weapon and am more than capable of holding my own in physical combat."

"Well then, wouldn't you be more certain of my safety if I were around? Besides, they are searching for a man or two, not a couple off to do their shopping."

For that, Jade was rendered temporarily speechless, and he hid his eyes behind the glare of his glasses—a movement that Peony recognized as Jade hiding something, if not plotting for the best way to go about the demise of a nearby living being. Truly a cause for concern, considering he was the nearest one that qualified the latter criteria.

"That is one of the most ridiculous ideas I have ever heard of in my life, but that might actually work. Though I do prefer the term 'family', as that is what I have been telling our fellow survivors. Figuratively, of course, considering how we do not look a thing alike. Do get used to moving around in a month's time, as we will be leaving then."

"Wait a minute—I thought we were leaving now?"

"I said nothing of the sort. I still need to settle some matters around the encampment, as our fellows will be losing their soup kitchen mistress. And of course, I also need to gather supplies for the trip."

Peony could not help but pout as Jade smirked and turned his back to him to attend to the stove. He got him there, alright. Regardless, he comforted himself with the thought that he managed to get his way in the end.

For a while, Peony simply stood, watching Jade as he began scooping out curry into bowls. From behind, he really did look like Nephry. If Nephry were less endowed in where it mattered and smiled like a cat who caught the proverbial mouse.

"Doesn't dressing up like that hurt your pride as a man?"

"You are speaking as if I had that pride to begin with."

Peony wrinkled his nose at Jade's response. "Jade, society's standards dictate that men are not supposed to be enjoy cross-dressing and the like."

"It's not a matter of whether I enjoy it or not. If it gets the job done, then I will do it."

"Way to be all serious about it," Peony said, rolling his eyes. "But you know, for a guy, you don't look half as bad as a woman."

"I am not my sister, Your Majesty."

"Franz."

"Neither am I your deceased older brother."

"No, I meant, call me 'Franz'. We can't have you addressing me as 'Your Majesty' once we get out of here. Plus... it's not like I have an empire to speak of anymore."

"Very well," Jade said, shoving a bowl of curry towards him. "Eat your curry, Franz."

Peony had to suppress a grin of amusement as he accepted the bowl from Jade. Fishing for sympathy from Jade was like asking a goldfish to walk on land, huh? Regardless, that was the Jade he came to know, and it was nice to see that despite the winds turning on them, some things did not change so easily.

Still, he could have sworn that before Jade spoke out loud, he muttered something under his breath, something which suspiciously sounded like "not if I have anything to say about it".


	3. Chapter 2

Chesedonia, the center of trade in Auldrant, was a bustling city of merchants tucked away in the north part of Aberria. Despite the fickle desert weather, assorted peddlers vended their wares day and night with the hopes of returning home with an empty cart and a bag full of gald. On another end, bargain hunters flocked to the city in hopes of sealing that one deal or finding that treasure in the veritable haystack of items and people. One could say it was a veritable oasis in the desert, what with the promises it hovered over the denizens of Auldrant.

However, such was not Jade's agenda in the city, though one might argue that he was in the market for something less tangible-information. Chesedonia, as a host to a variety of people, also served as a natural hub for rumors and the like. It was a fact that Jade planned to take advantage of, and served as a reason as to why he chose to visit that city first.

The other reason, though related, was a meeting with someone he had been in correspondence with on and off the past months. Though first, he had to handle the spell over his unwitting companion, who looked like he was overcome by the wide-eyed wonder that struck newcomers to the city. It took a rough shoulder bump from a passing merchant to snap Peony out of his trance, which thankfully saved Jade the effort of having to do it himself.

In an uncharacteristic gesture, Jade took hold of the sheepish Peony's hand and led him to the local pub situated at the center of the city, the merciless afternoon sun beating down their backs. It was easy to get lost in the sea of people, and Jade was planning to take no risks in that regard.

Once inside the bar, Peony took the time to wipe the sweat off his brow, throwing Jade a look of disbelief as he strode towards his quarry, cool and composed as was his usual, breaking no sweat as he stopped by a table tucked in a secluded corner of the place.

"Have a seat." Grinning up at him was a pink-haired woman donning a pirate cap, whose clothing left none of her voluptuous curves to imagination. Returning the grin the best that he could with a suddenly attentive Peony in tow, he took the seat to her right, dumping Peony unceremoniously down the other empty chair.

"It's been a while, Col-"

"Jade, if you would, Noir," he said, frowning. "I can't afford to be recognized here, lest you wish to declare my life forfeit."

"Right, right," she laughed airily and took a sip of her drink, as if she did not just commit a potentially fatal mistake then. "Had a good trip?"

"Bearable enough." The trip to Chesedonia was relatively uneventful, just as Jade wished for it to be. Though the occasional monster did attack them, they quickly fell by Peony's hand, if not one of Jade's artes.

"So I suppose you wish to skip the pleasantries and get to this?" She pulled out a slip of paper from her jacket, along with two leather bound passports and slid it towards Jade, who quickly scanned the contents of the paper after inspecting the passports.

From the corner of his eye, he caught Noir standing up. "My, my, who is this handsome, young man we've got here?" Jade looked up from the piece of paper, and much to his annoyance, found Peony staring unabashedly at Noir's chest as she sashayed towards him. Draping an arm around Peony, she said, "Care to introduce me to your boyfriend, Jade-dearie?"

"Noir, Franz," Jade said, sighing. "Franz, Noir."

"Pleased to meet you, Noir," Peony said, finally tearing his eyes away from her chest to flash her one of his disarming smiles, as if he was not staring pointedly earlier.

Unlatching herself from Peony, Noir smiled with a slight tilt of her head. "No, no, the pleasure is all mine. In any case, don't let me keep you." She started towards the exit, tilting her head back at Jade with a knowing look on her face. "I'm sure that both of you have more _interesting_ matters to take care of. "

"Noir."

"Yes, hon?"

"Do return Franz's wallet before you take your leave."

Noir's smile turned sly as she turned around and ambled back to Jade. "Observant as ever, dearie. Was it you who caught me the last time as well?"

"I believe it was Tear."

"Heh." She extracted a pouch from her jacket and dropped it in Jade's waiting palm. "Be careful." Ghosting a finger along Jade's chin and taking the time to stroke his cheek, she whispered, "The androgynous look suits you, honey. Do take care of yourself."

"Of course." Jade said, smirking. "I can't have all these men falling in love with me, can I? That would be a very unfortunate turn of events."

"Oh? Looks like you have your hands full with lover boy 'Franz' over there." With a wink, she sashayed out of the bar, leaving Jade wishing that he had a better alternative for an information broker.

Though to be fair, he looked passably female, as Peony was not too bad with his hands. During their preparation, Peony took it upon himself to design and alter some clothing for them once he was able to move properly. His clothing was surprisingly modest, going by Peony's usual standards. An old set of Malkuth military uniforms scavenged by the townsfolk was turned into something respectively feminine, yet functional for their trip-a blue, long-sleeved high-collar shirt (if a bit long, almost like a dress) combined with his black tights and boots did change the overall impact of his appearance in addition to his braided hair.

Peony, in contrast to his usual look, was quite modest as well-with a plain peasant shirt and his usual brown pants and slippers. Admittedly, his short-haired look unsettled him for a while as did the noticeable lack of accessories, but it was all for the best. The lesser number of people recognized him, the better.

Noir's exit seemed to bring Peony back to the land of the living, for a serious look crossed his face once he turned to Jade, no trace of the flirtiness that characterized is a few minutes ago. "What was that about? Why does she seem to know who you are?"

"Because she does. I've come to know her in my journey in the past year, and she was quite helpful one way or another." _Despite being a criminal._ "We've been in correspondence for the past few months, and her information has never failed me so far."

He then slipped the paper to Peony, who took in the words with a puzzled look. "Ortion-"

Jade calmly shook his head as he took the slip of paper from Peony, lighting it aflame under the table and letting its ashes fall unceremoniously to the floor.

"In any case, shall we take this opportunity to take something before we explore the sights of Chesedonia?"

* * *

As much as Jade wanted to leave for Ortion Cavern at the soonest possible time, he had to acknowledge that the tickets he bought bound for Sheridan would probably depart the next day at the earliest. As such, he booked a room at the inn on what used to be the Malkuth side of Chesedonia. Since they had time to kill, he decided to accompany Peony, who looked like he was dying to explore the city, which he understood. Even though Peony was occasionally tasked to visit other countries and cities, those were purely business trips and rarely left room for sightseeing. If they did, then there was the matter of keeping up appearances. As of the moment, Peony did not have to concern himself with such, and was in fact acting like a kid wandering around the proverbial candy store—if candies were various weaponry and if candy shops were baking ovens that mercilessly subjected its clientele to the same treatment as their wares.

The heat beating down their backs did not seem to bother his companion, who seemed to be enjoying looking through the merchants' wares. Jade simply kept up his affable smile as they moved from store to store, just looking, not buying anything. Though he would have preferred to stay cooped up inside the inn while he thought of a way to acquire transport to Ortion Cavern from Sheridan, it was not like he could keep an eye on Peony if he stayed inside, and he knew how torturous it could get for his companion if one forced him to sit still for an extended period of time. Though he had every right to force Peony to stay in, it was easier to deal with Peony in a good mood over a sulky one. Also, it wasn't like that he could not brainstorm while on the go, so he was effectively killing two birds with one stone anyway.

Murmurs rose as they passed the section of Chesedonia leading towards Kimlascan territory. For a moment, Jade thought that someone had them figured out given the palpable tension in the air. Gritting his teeth and cursing his lack of foresight, he was about to grab Peony's hand and make a run for it when something—no, _someone_—was thrown at their feet.

It was not their presence that was the concern—enough for Jade to heave a short-lived sigh of relief—not that the alternative was exactly pleasant.

Jade watched as some soldiers shoved their way through the crowd, pulling Peony back on time lest a soldier bowl him over. Afterwards, Jade turned his attention back to the bruised man slumped on the ground, now cowering in fear.

"P-Please! It wasn't me!"

One of the soldiers grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck. "Lies! Witnesses claimed that they saw you running away with the stolen goods!"

"I did no such thing! I don't even have these stolen goods you speak of!"

"Of course, because your accomplice took them away before we caught you!"

"Accomplice? No, I—"

"Silence, Malkuth scum! I don't want to hear any more from the kingdom of murderers!"

Jade felt Peony tense beside him and immediately grabbed his wrist. When Peony threw him a frown, he slowly shook his head. Jumping in to help would be a foolhardy endeavor, as much as he wanted to do so. He understood that Peony wanted to protect his citizens—or what was left of them—the best that he could, but they could not afford the attention the scuffle would draw toward them.

"Emperor Peony would do no such thing!" A voice rose from the crowd.

"Yeah!"

"We're not a kingdom of murderers!"

"You are the murderers!"

"Bring back our emperor!"

Murmurs of assent rose through the crowd, and the Kimlascan soldiers found themselves being pushed back by a row of angry civilians. Jade then took that as an opportunity to tug Peony back into the direction of the inn. As he did, he could have sworn that he saw a familiar pink-haired woman wink at him from a nearby alley, but before he could ascertain the person's identity, the vision disappeared as quickly as it came.

* * *

"...So, let me get this straight. I supposedly had Princess Natalia assassinated when she visited Malkuth for a diplomatic mission? All because she refused to marry me?"

"Apparently," Jade said as he leaned against the wall, watching Peony as he kicked off his shoes and lay on the bed, arms folded behind his back.

"I did not want to believe it when I first heard it from the council, but—" Jade could only sigh as Peony let out a string of curse words that would have made Yulia blush. True, that was the most absurd of stories, and Jade was surprised that King Ingobert would believe something along those lines. Opening the lines of communication would have cleared up the whole mess instead of having to deal with a war, as with what happened during the war Mohs tried to start using the replicas disguised as soldiers of the opposing countries. Besides, given all that they went through the previous year, he would have thought that Kimlasca and Malkuth were finally at peace with one another.

Alas, that was too much to hope for. On another end, he supposed he should not have been surprised when war broke out if news leaked regarding Natalia's supposed death. After all, King Ingobert was not getting any younger, and the next in line for the throne, Suzanne fon Fabre, was of frail health. And Luke... thinking about Luke gave him a headache.

"And Daath... It just stood by while Malkuth was being attacked?" A look of disbelief crossed Peony's face.

Jade faked a cough. "Need I remind you that I've had a direct hand in decimating most of their forces as well as their top generals while trying to save the world?"

"Right..."

He was not surprised that Daath did not step in to assist Malkuth during its unprovoked invasion. With Score readings abolished, the Oracle Knights had no leverage when dealing with Kimlasca, on top of the chaotic reformation in progress going on in their ranks. Still, to what purpose did the kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear wish for the destruction of Malkuth? As far as Jade had established, King Ingobert had no desire for war. Though of course, that played little bearing if his council decided in favor of it.

A sigh from Peony broke through his thoughts. Jade turned to the other man, who began studying the ceiling. It must have been frustrating for Peony, unable to help one of his citizens earlier, as well as getting a confirmation of what seemed to be the cause of his kingdom's fall.

Peony tore his eyes off the ceiling and glanced at Jade. "...You knew this?"

"I've heard rumors of it being the case, and the incident earlier more or less confirms it."

"I see. So this is a journey to find out the truth?"

"Yes," Jade said, pushing up his glasses as a strange glint fell over them.

"And you believe that you will find it in that place?"

"Indeed."

"How do you plan on getting there?"

"We board a ship to Sheridan. And from there, I have considered two options."

"Oh?" Peony pulled himself to a sitting position, suddenly attentive.

"If Ginji and Noelle are well, I would like to enlist the help of one of them in this mission. However, there are a lot of variables to consider when asking them, and it is very much possible that they no longer apply at this point in time. I am working with the assumption that they are still pilots of the Albiore and are free to take it as they please. Another is that they would be willing to cooperate with someone who has ties to an empire of murderers, so to speak."

"But we did not do anything!"

Jade raised a brow at Peony "...Do they know that, though? You've seen how the Kimlascans outside have been acting. As such, we will have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that they will be hostile."

"It's like Akzeriuth all over again! Damn it..." Peony gritted his teeth, punching the headboard as he did so. "So, anyway, what's the other option?"

"We could attempt to hijack a vessel, but I do not wish to draw attention to ourselves for the moment, so I'm not too keen on this. But if worse comes to worst, I am willing to take this risk."

Noting the other's silence, Jade said, "You are free to return to Tataroo Valley. It's not yet too late to back out. I realize this is a risky proposition, and I prefer not to involve you in this."

"What did that have to do with anything?" Peony scowled at him. "No, and besides, I said I wanted to see the situation for myself. I'm tired of having to get all this information secondhand, and if there's something I could possibly do to help, I will do it—and no, that isn't by sitting around idly while you put yourself in danger again!"

"My, my, I didn't know you were that concerned over my well-being, Your Majesty. I'm used to it, in any case. Laying my life on the line in the name of the empire is part and package of being a soldier. Your duty is to live and serve as a ray of hope to those who are still fighting for your kingdom, in a manner of speaking."

"I didn't know you were that nationalistic, Jade. And it's 'Franz', remember?"

"I try." Jade shrugged. "Though I can't help it if I'm terrible with names."

"You know that I'm still coming with you no matter what you say, right?"

Jade sighed. "As I am unfortunately aware. I had to try, though." Peony's insistence on coming along did not surprise him, and in fact, he made allowances in his schedule to accommodate the other. After all, Peony was an emperor first and foremost despite the lack of a kingdom to call his own. His concern about the state of affairs in Auldrant and where his countrymen stood was an understandable one. However, it was a truth that Jade would rather have taken this journey on his own, and as such tried to discourage Peony when he could, but to no avail.

"Then that's settled." Peony drew his legs back onto the bed and averted his gaze from Jade.

"I'll be taking my leave, then."

Peony merely nodded as Jade exited the room. Jade took a deep breath as he closed the door behind him, leaving the other to his thoughts. Long days were ahead of them, and he supposed that he might as well take advantage of any rest he could get. Not that he was going to get much in the way, but one had to try.


	4. Chapter 3

_A/N:_ Many thanks to Droplet of Sour for helping out with the beta reading, as my current beta decided to bail on me.

* * *

When he was ripped from his home yet again, Gailardia Galan Gardios found himself taking the name 'Guy Cecil' for the second time in his life.

Revenge was a concept he thought he was able to leave behind, but apparently, it was one that would forever haunt him. There was no denying the emotion he felt as he found himself toiling on Kimlascan soil once more-that of repressed rage, all hidden underneath a bright, unassuming smile.

He tried to convince himself that it was not as bad as it was when he first came to Duke Fabre's mansion, when avenging his dead family was the only emotion that fueled the course of his life. After all, as with before, he was supposed to be dead, if not in prison. Yet, he was alive and physically well, tinkering with the fon machines at Sheridan, the esteemed city of craftsmen. Noelle and Ginji were staking their lives by keeping him under their wing, as did General Cecille, who put in a good word for him when the Kimlascan military discovered his presence under their care. Heck, he even got to keep the Jewel of Gardios instead of having it confiscated by the military.

Yet, the sense of loss lingered over him, and so did his frustration at being helpless to save those around him once more. _Jade. Emperor Peony. __The servants entrusted to him in the name of House Gardios__._ He clenched his fist tightly, mouth taut in a thin line. All dead, all because of some dumb declaration that Natalia was killed during one of her trips as an ambassador of peace. He did not believe a word of it. _Not a single word of it._ Natalia would not be taken down that easily, given the strength she gained thanks to their journey. Moreover, it was utterly absurd for Emperor Peony to issue such an order in the first place, given how he got along with the former in the first place. Not to mention, there was Jade's resourcefulness to consider with regard to his survival and the emperor's, but if they were alive, certainly, the military would have issued some sort of order to capture them for some sort of reward.

The question was, who _was_ responsible for this mess? While he knew that complete harmony was in the realm of impossibility, tolerance was something he expected, especially after defeating Van. Apparently, such thoughts were stuff of dreams, given his current predicament.

"Guy, are you okay?" Noelle looked up from the engine she was repairing, a concerned expression on her face.

"Yeah, I'll live," he said, giving her a reassuring smile.

His smile probably did not come across that way, since Noelle continued to eye him worriedly. "You should call it an early day. You've been working hard for the past days; you should take the time to rest, Guy."

"Yeah, I'm sure Aston will agree," Ginji said, tearing his eyes away from the wing that he was working on. "If he doesn't, I'll find a way to make the old man see things our way!"

Realizing that his protests would most likely fall on deaf ears in the light of their unity, he broke into a sheepish grin and excused himself as they requested. Muttering a word of thanks, he proceeded to exit the place.

Stepping out of the storehouse, Guy stretched his arms and let out a yawn. Perhaps they were right. He had been working long hours in the factory as an effort to keep himself occupied. At least, when he was assembling machines, he did not have to think about what happened several months ago.

Climbing up the lighthouse tower—Aston would probably shout at him, but he badly needed a distraction—he made his way up one of his favorite spots, the highest part overlooking the sea and the outskirts of Sheridan. Leaning over the railing, he took a lungful of the sea-salt air, feeling a wave of calm wash over him as he stared at the blue expanse before him, listening to the waves crash against the shore. However, his calm was only short-lived, as anxiety bubbled up his chest none too soon. His thoughts settled on the similar view he saw out at Hod, out at Baticul, and out at Grand Chokmah, along with the reminder of people who would never get to see that view again.

He balled his fist once more, silently cursing his powerlessness as the wind whipped against his hair. He thought that after Hod and Eldrant, the losses would stop. Thought that people finally had the time to heal. Still, why was it that he was the only one left alive? Always left behind, perpetuating his now pointless existence.

Turning his attention to the highlands, he then caught sight of what seemed like two people engaged in combat with three Eggrudas. Quite unfortunate, considering how close the two were to the town. Was his bad luck that contagious? No matter, the soldiers patrolling should catch sight of them soon and assist.

But the matter was, as Guy did a double take, was that the soldiers were not helping out at all. He watched as the patrol paused some distance from the duo, then continue on their route like nothing happened.

Guy's stomach churned at the sight. It could only mean that the two fighting were from Malkuth. Were Kimlascan soldiers really that heartless? Regardless of nationality, they were people all the same!

Clenching his teeth, he climbed on top of the railing. Steeling himself, he climbed down his perch and began to make his way towards the wall, jumping from warehouse roof to warehouse roof. Spotting a broomstick lying around, he grabbed it, considering how he would be needing a weapon if he were to push through with his plans of rescuing the two.

A few roofs later, he was on top of the city walls, with a perfect view of the battlefield. Anger threatened to rise up his chest when he realized that one of the unfortunate travelers was a woman. He wanted to believe that Kimlascan soldiers were not just mindless sister-slaying lugs of meat—and heck, he thought he got over that perception—but seeing the woman on the ground reminded him of how those soldiers burst in his home and felled his sister and her maids one by one.

Indirectly or not, they were going to kill her, just like his sister.

"Enter the amazing Guy!" 'Sword' in hand, he leapt from the wall and landed on a bird's back, bashing its head on impact with the stick he held as well as cushioning his fall with the fall of the said animal.

The other two froze upon his entrance, probably shocked at the unexpected help. However, their pause was doing him no good, as the other two birds turned their attention to him, hoping to avenge their fallen comrade.

"A little—" he barely dodged the swing one bird made, "—help—" another lucky block thanks to his stick, though he felt it slowly giving way against the latter's sharp talons, "—here!"

From the corner of his eye, he could see the other vulture preparing to divebomb again. If none of the two helped him out, he was sure to be ground meat or vulture dinner depending on which claws got to him first. Yulia help these two—

To his surprise, it was not the man that assisted him. The woman quickly dispatched the vulture attempting to dig its claws into his stomach, which left him free to roll out of danger. A quick look at his savior told him that she wielded a spear of sorts—nay, was that a deck brush? He stared in disbelief as the woman swiftly backstepped out of the way as the remaining monster dived towards her, bringing her 'weapon' down the other's head, which crackled with a burst of thunder from the head of the 'spear'. The attack coursed through the bird's body, and with a loud cry, fell lifelessly next to its companions.

It begged the question. He stared in awe at the bespectacled, brown-haired woman. If they—or at least the woman in this case—were this strong, then why—

"Hey, thanks for helping out!" A hand clapped on his shoulder caused him to tense and abandon his train of thought. "These monsters suddenly came out of nowhere and this old hag had a hard time drawing her weapon and—" Whirling around, Guy found himself face to face with an all-too familiar grin. The usual hair ornaments were gone, and the other's hair was shorted than he remembered it last, but his smile shone as brightly as ever. "—Gailardia."

"Y-Your Maj—" Eyes widening in surprise, he was about to compose himself into a practiced bow when Peony gripped his arm tightly, shaking his head as the threw a pointed glance at the soldiers rounding the corner towards them. Situation dawning on him, he nodded numbly. Right, he was presumed dead, after all, and they were in enemy territory. Wait. Speaking of which, that could only mean that the woman before him was—

"—Jade. And the lout over there is my brother, Franz." Three soldiers surrounded Jade, who had his arms folded and was giving them a thoroughly unimpressed look. Guy had to stifle a chuckle at the scene. One or the other should have been amusing, but looking at Jade in women's clothing—and sounding like it fitted him—in addition to seeing how he towered over the Sheridan sentries who looked like they did not know what they were getting into made for an interesting combination. It was not the way he expected to be reunited with him, but it was nonetheless a welcome surprise over not being able to see him again.

"Fighting along the city perimeter is a task left to us soldiers."

"The last time I checked, it wasn't illegal to fight for one's life, especially when the said soldiers were busy running away in fear."

"Tch. How dare you speak that way, wench! Learn your place!" One of the soldiers who was more or less Jade's height swung a fist at his face, which he evaded by the mere expedient of sidestepping to the left.

Jade smirked. "Is this the kind of training they have at the military academy?" Guy felt Emperor Peony shift beside him and make his way towards Jade, his mouth set into a thin line. "Because it would seem that they need to rehaul the whole system if they have been producing these kinds of graduates."

The other two, incensed, looked like they were about to pounce on Jade. Guy would have followed suit as Emperor Peony and intervened as well, if not for a voice that came up from behind them.

"What's this commotion all about?"

The three soldiers froze in their actions and looked like they were about to turn their fury onto the source of the voice instead, but upon seeing the person in question, they hurriedly straightened up and gave the person a salute.

"Commander Goldberg! These civilians were out of line, Sir! They have failed to abide by the law forbidding battles close to the city, and have also insulted the Kimlascan military on top of that!"

Frowning, Goldberg's gaze steeled themselves on the three soldiers, before falling on Jade, then Emperor Peony, then him. After what seemed to be a tense eternity, he said, "Go back to your posts. I will take care of the situation here."

"Yes, Sir!" With another salute, the three then trooped out of the scene, not without the tallest throwing Jade a smug look.

Once the three soldiers were gone, Goldberg turned to Jade and gave him a rueful smile. "I must apologize in behalf of these new recruits' behavior. They're... a little too enthusiastic, so to speak."

"I figured as much," Jade said, sighing. "Though shouldn't something be done about their power-tripping?"

"Rest assured, I will give them a strict talking-to after this, and will inform their immediate supervisors about this. Now, if I may ask, what _actually_ happened?"

"The two of them were attacked by Eggrudas," Guy said, much to his own surprise, as with the others, who began to observe him with various levels of curiosity. With a level of unperturbedness that felt foreign even to him, he pointed at where the fallen monsters lay. "None of the patrolling soldiers were helping them, so I decided to come to their rescue and we all managed to dispatch the monsters together. However, shortly after we did so, the said soldiers began picking on her."

"I see." Goldberg nodded, then turned to Jade once more, an amused expression on his face as he stroked is moustache. "And you took care of the monsters? Impressive. We could use someone as skilled as you in the army..."

Jade returned the compliment with a serene smile. "As much as that flatters me, I'm afraid that we still have business to attend to." He picked up the bag on the ground and slung it over his shoulder. "If there is nothing else of concern to discuss, may we be excused?"

"Your names. I believe I haven't caught them, except for Guy here."

"My name is Jade," Jade said without missing a beat, his expression impassive as Goldberg's brows shot up at the mention of his name. "And my companion here is Franz."

Tension was palpable in the air as Goldberg's gaze hardened on Jade, who met his gaze with equal intensity. Moments later, Goldberg relaxed and smiled, letting out a hearty chuckle. "Grand! I like your style, Miss Jade! Apologies, for a moment, you reminded me of someone I used to know. You even share the same eye and hair color!"

Jade returned the smile, pushing up his glasses as he did so. "But would I be perhaps more good looking, if I were to dare to venture a comment?"

"Lovely as this exchange is, we have to get going, Sir." Emperor Peony clapped a hand around Jade's shoulders and flashed a grin at Goldberg before he could comment. "Thank you for your help earlier."

Goldberg laughed again. "It's not a problem. Very well, keep going then."

Emperor Peony and Jade started toward the entrance to Sheridan after bowing, with Guy following suit.

"Gailardia."

Guy paused in his tracks, surprise evident on his face at being addressed.

Goldberg's expression was somber as he continued, "Kindly refrain from more foolhardy rescue attempts at this point forward. I know General Cecille vouched for you months back, but her word could only carry you so far. I know it is painful for you to see these things happening, but if you value your life and those who you live with, you'd follow this piece of advice well."

And with that, Goldberg left for the opposite direction, leaving Guy to his thoughts as he hastened to catch up with Emperor Peony and Jade, a multitude of questions lingering at the back of his mind.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello everyone. This chapter has not been beta'd (and by the looks of it, the coming chapters as well), so I apologize in advance for any typos or grammatical errors. It also turned out surprisingly shorter than my past chapters, as I had to edit out a lot of content. To make up for it, the next chapter, I believe, is one of longer chapters, as well be seeing Peony, Jade, and Guy in action. Unfortunately, it might take me a while to get around to it, as this week's a very busy one at work and I have an incoming activity over the next weekend, and an operation on the weekend after that. I will try to have the next chapter out as soon as I can, sooner, I hope. In any case, thank you for all the reviews! They were wonderful energizers, to say the least, and I do greatly enjoy reading and replying them. Please keep them coming!

* * *

"...And that's it. I'm surprised to see you guys again, to be honest, though by far, it's a pleasant one to date."

Jade nodded, sipping his tea thoughtfully as Guy wrapped up his story. Currently, they—Peony, Guy, Ginji, Noelle, and him—were seated around a table at Ginji and Noelle's house, sharing their stories of what happened since the siege at Grand Chokmah.

It was an understatement to say that Peony was not too thrilled about hearing how discrimination of Malkuth citizens seemed to be commonplace. Even Jade himself was half-hearted in his attempts to keep Peony from running out the house to teach those soldiers a lesson, and as such, he was thankful for the self-control Peony managed to exercise at the last minute. According to Guy, they were not the first group of people to be ignored in their time of need. Though there were no casualties reported as a result of such treatment, it was not to say that the other less fortunate citizens did not manage to escape grave injury—a fact that seemed to be bothering Peony greatly.

In fact, they would have been one of those counted among the unfortunate if Guy did not swoop in to save the day. Though Jade could have easily defeated the monsters with his weapon of choice, summoning it in front of the patrol would have drawn unnecessary attention to him. The expandable deck brush inside his pack was stored precisely to mitigate that problem, though it unfortunately took him some time before he could draw it out. Casting fonic artes back then was not a viable solution as well, considering the time it took to cast them nowadays and his lack of cover—what with Peony's artes being ineffective against the enemies which liked to stay out of his reach.

"Ginji, Noelle." The two straightened up in their seats in rapt attention. Though shocked at first to see them alive and well, they both took the news in stride—as well as Jade's new look—and welcomed them with open arms. "Pardon me for cutting to the chase so soon, but we need to borrow the Albiore as well as your abilities. Would that be a problem?"

At his request, Ginji and Noelle exchanged glances, none too reassuring judging by the grim expressions on their faces.

"As much as we could love to help, Jade," Ginji said, an uncertain look about him, "we're currently in a bind."

Alarm bells started to ring inside Jade's head at those words. He was about to grab Peony's wrist and make a run for it, when Guy caught his eye and shook his head, mouthing, "Trust them." Holding back a sigh, Jade leaned back on his seat and allowed himself to listen to Guy. His tense moment seemed to have gone unnoticed by Ginji and Noelle, who still wore perturbed looks on their faces.

"You see..." Noelle bit her lip, unable to meet his eye. "Some men from Baticul told us that if any of the Albiore were to go missing along with one of us... they will kill everyone in the city."

Jade cupped a hand to his chin in response. As much as he wanted to think that the threat was a bluff, it was not one he wanted to put to the test. _Well played._ Whoever was behind this had a good head on his or her shoulders, and certainly knew of his friends' habits quite well.

"Sorry, Jade," Noelle said, her eyes finally meeting his, "I really wish we could help, but..."

"...Dr. Gneiss might," Ginji said.

"Dr. Who—" Guy cut his own statement short after seeing the darkening look on Jade's face and the bemused one on Peony's, recognition dawning upon him. "...Oh."

"What of Saphir?" Peony asked.

"Dr. Gneiss?" Ginji peered at Peony curiously. "Rumor has it that he's working on some top secret technology at Belkend. Against his will, they say."

"Yeah, actually, he was working here at Sheridan before, but they moved him to Belkend after some of the hover drives were damaged," Noelle said, cupping a hand to her chin in thought. "They say he messed with them on purpose or something..."

Peony heaved a sigh of relief. "It's good that he survived."

"I shouldn't have been surprised," Jade said. "His resilience is his only redeeming feature, if being cockroach-like is something to be proud of."

"Well, there's our answer, Jade!" Peony grinned at him. "Let's get ourselves a Saphir and an Albiore of our own! I wouldn't have put it past him to have learned how to operate the thing given all the time he spends with those machines of his!"

And so, Jade finally let out the sigh he had been holding and set out to plan how to break one of his least favorite people out of prison.

* * *

"Jade, are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine," Jade said as they walked down the starlit streets of Sheridan, the source of light stark against the moonless night sky.

"I'm not a moron, Jade," Peony said, squinting as he leaned forward to get a better look at Jade's face. "Something is bothering you."

"You've always had an overactive imagination." Jade pushed up his glasses and quickened his pace. "I assure you that I am perfectly fine."

"Is it about Saphir?"

_Saphir?_ Jade continued to make his way towards the inn. _Of course it was._ Saphir—or at least Jade's relationship with him—was a complicated matter, to say the least. A few months shy of the invasion, the Malkuth Empire finally succeeded on getting custody of him from Daath, and Jade wasted no time in hauling the other out of jail to ask—nay, demand—his help in reviving the fomicry research he abandoned a long time ago. For the longest time, Saphir represented a past that Jade had long moved on from—buried in the deepest recesses of his mind. Back in the day, every time the other appeared as Dist and started spouting nonsense about bringing back the dead was the equivalent of digging a shovel into that aged dirt, which he coped with by inciting the ire of the other—may it be through ignorance or one of his caustic remarks.

So it was a surprise, really, that the recent months they worked together were surprisingly peaceful. True to this word, Saphir never raised the idea of reviving Professor Nebilim nor gave any indication that he wished to make another human replica. Jade supposed it helped that both of them did not exchange words outside fomicry theories—rather, Jade did not give Saphir much of an opportunity to speak with him outside the laboratory. As much as this change in Saphir was supposed to put him at ease, it instead left him apprehensive and he continued to distance himself from the other.

"It _is_ Saphir." Jade could feel Peony smile ruefully as he took note of his unresponsiveness. "I thought that you had no problems with him since you started working together again?"

"I haven't."

"Then what exactly _is_ your problem?"

Jade did not deign to give the other an answer, choosing instead to open the door into the inn and making his way to the rooms he reserved earlier.

"Fine, I won't pry," Peony said as they stopped outside the doors to their respective rooms. "But promise me that you'll talk to him after we haul him out of Belkend."

Jade sighed in defeat. "...Very well." There was no way out of this when Peony was so dogged about it, and he supposed that he might as well get around to taking care of the said matter instead of skirting around it as he did in the past.

Instead of a grin of triumph as Jade expected, a look of concern crossed Peony's face as he gazed at Jade searchingly. "You look a bit pale."

"I'm naturally so, in case you haven't noticed these past years."

"Jade." Peony narrowed his eyes. "Enough of your sarcasm. You don't look well, though I'm not sure if that's because of what we discussed or something else all together."

"I will concede that I'm feeling somewhat tired." It _has _been a fairly long day, and getting attacked by Eggrudas and dealing with a bunch of haughty Kimlascan soldiers shortly thereafter certainly gave him a headache.

"Okay..." Peony was still frowning at him, clearly unconvinced. "Should I stay in your room for a while to make sure nothing's wrong?"

"There is no need to do so."

"If you say so. Just give me a call next door if you need anything, okay?"

"I will." Not that he planned to.

"And Jade," Peony lowered his voice. "Don't push yourself too hard during the rescue mission. You can rely on me and Gailardia, you know?"

Jade shrugged noncommittally. "I suppose."

"Good," Peony said, smiling at Jade. "Then rest up, we've got some way to go with the preparations!"

"Indeed." Jade opened the door to his room, tilting his head slightly towards Peony before departing. "Good night, Franz." Amidst Peony's chuckle, he closed the door behind him and sighed once more, an odd sense of deja vu washing over him as he remembered an all-too familiar situation in Chesedonia not too long ago. _Long days, indeed._


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm sorry about the large delay. The tl;dr version of my situation is that a lot of things came up offline during the week I was supposed to post the fifth chapter. The somewhat long version is detailed over here: dimensionslip*tumblr*com/post/64554724335/i-happen ed-to-start-reading-keeping-score-last-night

At risk of sounding redundant, I would like to say that I will finish this story (I mean, I already wrote the whole thing, after all!) despite the irregular posting schedule. I will attempt to restart my once-a-week posting schedule next month. Hopefully, I could manage it then.

With regard to Peony and his bum of steel, I take no credit for the names of the artes he used. Kongman from _Tales of Destiny_ was a nice reference for martial artes. Thank you, based Kongman.

* * *

Someone once said that the more powerful and original minds were inclined to solitude.

That someone obviously has not met the great Dr. Saphir Ortion Gneiss, one of the brightest minds in Auldrant as of ND 2019—or so he thought of himself. However, that is not to say that circumstances have not been kind to him, for life as of late for him was more or less a series of prison cells—just waiting to be transferred from one hellhole to another. Sure, there were some reprieves in between, but those moments of freedom seemed to be no more than a countdown until the next time he was slated to be locked up again. This time, in a tightly guarded laboratory in the innermost sanctum of Belkend, the city of fon machines.

The white-washed walls of the laboratory gave off the impression of a sanatorium, and if it were not for the various books and scrap material scattered around the room, he would have thought that he was in one. Slouching back on his seat, Saphir trained his eyes on the far end of the wall of the laboratory, losing himself in his thoughts about the past.

Solitary confinement, at first, did not pose a problem to him at all. Listening to other prisoners' inane ramblings was a torturous ordeal for his beautiful mind, after all, and silence was more than welcome over that nuisance. He has always operated at his best when there was no one to disturb him, and he took joy in reveling in his own thoughts—of fon machines to be built, of experiments to be conducted. Alas, too much of everything was never a good thing, and extraordinary as Saphir was, he was only but human.

Without a fon machine for company, solitude only served as a poison for his mind, which was slowly slipping into darker territory as his confinement dragged on. Even when the requested pen and paper came, such things only served to be outlets for the thoughts that chipped away at his mind. At first, his thoughts consisted of methods in which he could escape his dreary prison. During his first few stints in prison, those more or less managed to spur him on as the days went by, and more often than not, it was not long before he was able to put them into action. However, such was not the situation when Jade had him arrested after his failed attempt to bring back his—no, _their_—beloved Professor Nebilim.

_Jade._ Oh, how his thoughts back then suddenly gave way to that despicable, ungrateful, four-eyed snake who he once considered a friend. Escape plots gave way to revenge plots that consumed him as he cursed the man he sacrificed everything for. But as days turned into weeks, plots turned into questions, into facts that he wanted from that man—and eventually, a desire to see him again. It was this desire that kept him tight-lipped as intelligence division officer after officer tried to interrogate him. His answer was always the same—he would only speak if it were Colonel Jade Curtiss who came down to interrogate him.

He had faith it would work. After all, did it not work before? Sure, that fool on an emperor came along as well, but what mattered was that Jade came anyway.

Though, for what seemed like an eternity, he felt that his wait was all for naught, and that the only time he would get to see him would be during his turn on the death row. Fortunately, his faith did not seem to be misplaced, for Jade did come, along with what he thought was his ticket out of solitude.

Yet, it simply served as another countdown to a prison cell change. Months of silently working with his parole officer-slash-best friend, the Kingdom of Kimlasca found it fit to stage an invasion and as fate would have had it, took him under their wing. Which was simply a fancy term for taking him as a prisoner of war.

Kimlasca's prisons were not really any different from those of Malkuth's or Daath's. Conspiracy or not, design was certainly not one of the priorities when it came to the cells he found himself in. _Same boring grey walls, same cold iron bars, same barren ceiling, same sorry excuse for bedding..._

So more or less, when the Kimlascans proposed that he could get out of jail in exchange for offering his intellect to them, he more or less jumped at the opportunity to do so, despite the fact that they were responsible for Jade's death. It was not without silent rebellion, for he did bear some resentment towards those who pulled him back into this wrenched lifestyle just as he was able to get back a sense of normalcy in his life. If bearing his companion's silence was any sign of the said normalcy, that is.

He stifled a yawn as he slumped back on his chair. The incident back at Sheridan was actually an accident, though admittedly, he was a bit more careless than usual. How was he supposed to know that the flightstone would not take kindly to his amazing enhancement? Still, the higher-ups thought it prudent to move him to a better guarded facility where he "would not be allowed to stoop to such petty tricks" again. Still, what they did not know would not hurt them, and it was that incident that made him acquire the key necessary for his escape, which was comfortably nestled inside his coat. It was just a matter of finding the right window to make a run for it, and if there was one thing he was good at—on top of his many other talents, of course—it was bidding his time.

Such were the thoughts that occupied the mind of this self-proclaimed genius when the door to his laboratory slid open to reveal the entrance of a man in a lab coat. No doubt another one of those Kimlascan dogs sent down to check on him.

"Look, if you keep on checking on me every ten minutes, I'll never—"

His eyes widened upon meeting the all-too familiar gaze of the man he once chased after so fervently.

"J—" But before he could finish the word, the other man grabbed his arm and he found himself being pulled roughly towards the exit.

"Wh—" One glare from the other was enough for him to clam up and to make his heart skip a beat.

_Those piercing red eyes. Those flaxen brown locks._There was no mistaking it. The person with him now was none other than Jade. But wasn't he supposed to be—no, he knew better. A silly siege would not be enough to kill someone like Jade. He was not wrong to hold on to the hope that the other would return for him. He always did. They were the Golden Duo, inseparable, always part of a half, capable of great things when put together.

A delighted smile formed on his lips as the other continued to grip his wrist tightly as they flew through the dark, deathly silent corridors. Were the two of them going to take on this Score-forsaken world on their own? Sure, that was a daunting task, but if Jade were by his side, they would be able to overcome anything, surely.

However, all such thoughts were dispelled when he heard a scuffle beyond the doorway leading to the hangar where the hovercrafts were kept. He tensed as Jade paused behind the door, still gripping his wrist. Will they have to fight? Sure, he had machines that could do the fighting, but none of them were currently at his disposal, having been destroyed back in the siege on Grand Chokmah.

"Hell's Hurricane!" A familiar voice rang in his ears as Jade pushed past the doors, though Saphir had to time to dwell on it as another voice rose above the battlegrounds.

"Razing Phoenix!" Saphir had to blink back the flash of light that blinded him. It sounded suspiciously like the blond from the Jade gang back in the day—_what was his name again?_ His train of thought was interrupted as he nearly tripped over a fallen soldier. Fighting to keep up with Jade, Saphir decided to concentrate his thoughts and efforts into weaving through the sea of bodies strewn all over the hangar.

"Ikasu Hip!"

Saphir froze on his tracks once recognition dawned upon him, oblivious to Jade narrowing his eyes at him as he let go of him and went ahead. Shocked, Saphir could only watch with undisguised horror as Peony jumped into the air and used his behind to strike a nearby soldier, who, by some miracle of Yulia, actually fell to the attack.

"And now, for the finale!" Saphir had to suppress a groan as Peony geared up for another attack as several soldiers closed in on him. "Très Bien Hip!"

Saphir watched as Peony showcased another creative use of his assets—a display worthy of the shame of the Malkuth Empire.

"Heya, Saphir!" Peony beamed at him, a little too chipper for someone who just struck down five soldiers in their midst. With his buttocks, notwithstanding. "Good to see that you're well!" The other, much to his chagrin, wrapped an arm around his shoulders, as if they were long lost friends.

"P—P—" The disbelief on Saphir's face faltered when Jade glowered at him once more. There were so many things he wanted to shout—and ask—yet, he knew better than to cross Jade when he wore that expression. Unless of course he wanted to be reacquainted with a world of agony.

"We need you to pilot this thing here," Peony—that bastard—pointed at the aircraft next to him. "We'd have Gailardia here do it," he pointed at the blond standing nearby, "but he'd probably spend more time drooling over it than actual work, so yeah." He chuckled. "Plus, you're the expert when it comes to this kind of thing, so it's all yours, mate!" Peony pushed Saphir towards the craft, which earned him a dirty look from Saphir.

"What if I refuse?"

Peony's smile did not fade at his remark. "Then we'll make you!"

Whatever protest Saphir had died in his mouth when the unmistakeable clinking of armor reached his ears. _Reinforcements._

"So soon, eh?" Peony's tone was still lively, though his expression took a serius turn as Gailardia motioned towards the entrance of the aircraft. Saphir felt himself being hoisted by his arm and practically being dragged towards the craft and shoved towards it.

"As you have undoubtedly heard, time is not on our side. You'd better hurry, Saphir!"

"I haven't agreed—"

"Jade is fending off the soldiers as we speak." A pinched look crossed Peony's face, as if he did not approve of it.

Saphir's effort to hide his surprise was all for naught. Peony? Overly concerned about Jade's well-being? That was rich, coming from the person who sent Jade around Auldrant as a glorified errand boy-slash-babysitter. Did that idiot emperor hit his head sometime after Grand Chokmah fell? Because that was the only logical explanation as to why Peony was acting like that, considering that the last time Saphir checked, Peony and Jade were at each other's throats more often than not, and the former had a nasty tendency of taking the latter for-granted, what with the former's tendency to stick the latter in all sorts of dangerous situations.

"Why don't you help him, then?" Saphir replied acidly.

Peony let out an exasperated breath. "Do you think I didn't offer when he came up with this insane plan?"

With a dramatic sigh, Saphir climbed into the aircraft and hurried towards the engine room. Much as he was confused about his feelings towards Jade, he certainly was not going to get any answers if the other party was dead. Making his way to the flightstone, he pulled out a similar object out of his robes. Though a normal person might be wary about testing a device during such a critical moment, Saphir was by no means an ordinary person in that respect. After all, he was genius, and it was with total confidence that he replaced the craft's flightstone with the modified one he designed.

Seeing no outward complications only served to fuel his ego and the smile on his face. However, his delight was short-lived, for the vehicle shook violently. The impact cost him his balance and he found himself flat on his behind as a result. Making a face as he unsteadily got to his feet, he headed out of the room. At least his unwelcome companions did not witness his fall, but whoever did that to the craft would have to pay one way or another.

Saphir noted Gailardia's somewhat envious expression as he settled himself in the pilot's seat, and as such, he had difficulty hiding the smirk that crossed his lips as he switched on the dashboard.

His expression turned somewhat grim as he caught sight of the battle going on below them. Jade was holding his own against what seemed to be a platoon of soldiers, with a few mages throwing nukes from behind. Each soldier that neared him seemed to have a death wish, for they fell one by one to his experienced spear.

Seeing Jade in combat was by no means a first for Saphir, having been on the receiving end of his strikes and artes many a time. Yet, the sight of him wielding his weapon with grace and finesse was one that never failed to fill him with awe, mixed with horror as it was that moment. Sure, Jade's artes were in a class of their own, being some of the most powerful in Auldrant, but his spearmanship was one sight to behold. Saphir found himself holding his breath as Jade threw a foot backward to evade a rain of sword thrusts, hair flying as he deftly blocked an incoming ice arte from one of the mages at the back. Jumping backwards, Jade took advantage of the distance to sweep his spear at his assailants. The movement caused the frontliners to double back to avoid it, though some unlucky soldiers caught the attack full swing and crumpled to the ground.

"Saphir, we'd better go." Of course, Peony had to snap him out of his reverie, being the uncouth individual that he was.

"Tsk." Saphir made no effort to hide his annoyance with Peony, but quickly obliged. Deep down, he knew that Peony was right, but he was not going to glorify the bastard by admitting it.

The aircraft jolted forward as requested, its movement causing the soldiers to break formation to avoid being run over. Jade took advantage of the commotion by falling back. Moments later, Saphir could hear telltale movement from behind the cockpit and a hatch being closed. Jade must have made it back, if the incoming footsteps growing in volume were any indication.

One lever pull later, the aircraft continued its taxi and ascent, unmindful of the soldiers that scrambled to get out of its way. A triumphant smile formed on Saphir's face as the airship slowly flew out of the hangar, however, it was short-lived as he saw a fire arte coming from the front.

Making a sharp swerve to the right, the fireball grazed the side of the hull, causing the craft to shake violently. Saphir swore under his breath as the noted some spells coming from behind, as well as the landship that loomed ahead. Were they really that adamant to keep them from leaving? With the power packed by that landship, it would likely take away half the town in its attempts to shoot them down.

Still, he smirked to himself once more as the airship continued to gain speed, dodging, in narrowly evading, the shots fired at it. It was his first time operating the craft, but as was his usual with fon machines, it yielded easily to him, and no one would have been the wiser with regard to his flight inexperience.

"Saphir, what are you—"

"Will you shut up for now and hold on to something, you idiot?" he said sharply, brow furrowed in concentration as the craft zoomed towards the landship. The shots started becoming more haphazard, until they eventually stopped. Flying past the landship, the cannons did not seem to take notice of them as they soared over Belkend and eventually, past the Aberrian Plains.

"Saphir, what you did was just nuts, but brilliant, since it got the army to stop firing at us. Just what on Mother Auldrant did you do?"

"Invisibility barrier, developed by yours truly," Saphir said, gaze still fixed on the horizon. "I still have to work on reducing the shimmer, but it's otherwise functional and undetectable from the outside."

"As expected of the great Dr. Gneiss..." Gailardia murmured behind him.

"That is well and all, but must you risk our lives on an experimental device?" A strange, albeit familiar feminine voice snapped at him, and he felt his face flush red at the quip. After he singlehandedly saved their lives! _How dare she?_ Whoever their fifth companion was, she was going to get an earful from him.

"Excuse me?" he said indignantly. "After my magnificent flying, that's all you have to say?"

"I've seen rappigs fly better."

"Why, you—" Whirling around to glare at the offending individual, he found himself greeted by Jade's cool gaze. Confused, he looked around the cabin for their mysterious fifth companion, only to come up with nothing. Gaze falling on Peony, Gailardia, then Jade again. He froze. So the reason why Jade refused to speak earlier was...

"I suppose it was too much for me to expect a certain degree of passable coherence from cockroaches," Jade said in that irritating tone from earlier, arms folded. A cut along the side of his cheek only added to the fierceness behind his glare, which was more than enough for Saphir to train his eyes back on the road.

Why in Yulia's name did Jade sound like a condescending version of Nephry? He stole a glance behind him, past Jade's bloodstained lab coat. His eyes widened in disbelief after spotting the clothing Jade had clutched in one hand. _Women's clothing?_

As if reading his thoughts with his stolen glance, Jade threw an unimpressed look at him, turned heel, and left the cockpit.


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: More than half of this chapter did not exist in my initial draft. And as such, this chapter turned out longer than my previous chapter, which was the supposed longest chapter of this story. Apologies if everyone rambled on too much. I haven't had a beta reader since Chapter 3.

* * *

With a sigh, Jade entered one of the small resting areas of the airship, changed into his set of clean clothing, seated himself on a nearby bed, and began the arduous task of braiding his hair. Blood and grime made the usually trivial task somewhat more challenging and inefficient, but Jade welcomed the distraction.

Perhaps he was exhausted from his earlier workout, but his arms felt like lead at that point in time—if responsive at all. An amused smile crossed his face as he fumbled with tying his hair, and after ten minutes of failing to do the job properly, let his arms fall to his side and rested his hands on the thin foam mattress. He let out a heavy breath as he gave up on the task. Was age finally catching up to him? He often joked about it in the past, but he himself knew better, of course. As a soldier, endurance was of utmost importance, and his was something he took pride in, among other things. Though it was still his reputation in fonic artes that preceeded him, his spearmanship and prowess in the battlefield was not something to scoff at. While most fonists would opt out of the frontline and would rather stick to the rear, Jade made sure he was capable of handling himself in either environment, and it was one of the characteristics that made him an efficient and versatile commander.

As far as battle plans went, he supposed that the plan to rescue Saphir went well overall. Noelle volunteered to sneak them aboard her Albiore during a delivery to Belkend, which Jade readily accepted. Funnily, while the Kimlascans were purportedly concerned about her possible disappearance, they did not seem to mind the presence of additional cargo in their midst.

Saphir was also surprisingly obedient, more so than usual. Which helped when the expected trap was finally sprung, and Jade found himself facing off against what seemed to be a platoon of soldiers. Most were novices and fell easily to his spear, but there were those that gave him trouble and managed to land blows on him—the most significant being the scratch on his cheek and the blow across his stomach that left him somewhat winded amongst the multiple bruises he sustained.

A knock on the door broke through his train of thought. "May I come in?"

"You may."

The door creaked open to reveal Guy, who had a pensive expression on his face as he took in Jade's disheveled appearance.

"You're injured."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Without waiting for an invitation, Guy took a seat next to him. "Stay still."

Jade continued staring blankly at Guy as the other held up a hand next to his cheek. There was a slightly pinched look about Guy as he furrowed his brows in concentration. A familiar warmth began to wash over Jade's cut, only to quickly fade as Guy's hand fell to his side as he breathed heavily, as if he ran several laps around town.

A rueful smile crossed Guy's face. "Seems that I still can't extend my healing abilities beyond myself."

"I see." Jade shrugged noncommittally as he pulled out a bandage and placed it over his cut. "No matter. It'll heal."

"Yeah, but..." Guy paused, seemingly uncertain about whether to continue his statement or not.

Jade raised a brow at him. "But?"

"Mm... Thought I could be useful to others for once, y'know?" Refusing to meet Jade's eye, Guy leaned forward, folding his arms across his lap. "Ever since, it's always been me who was left alive, while everyone else died. I'm always the one being protected, always the one who watched as everyone fell around me."

"I thought I was able to come to terms with it—Mary's sacrifice—and that there was a reason to live beyond revenge. But when that situation happened again several months back..."

Unfolding his hands, he stared at them bitterly. "I... couldn't save them. My subjects..." He balled his hand into a fist, shaking slightly, "I thought I had the strength to do so. But it wasn't enough!"

"I would hardly call a one versus a hundred a fair battle," Jade said. "There is no reason for you to beat yourself up over it."

Guy faced Jade, an agitated look about him. "But you managed to fend off those soldiers at Belkend!"

Jade narrowed his eyes at Guy, who involuntarily inched backwards at the intensity of his gaze. "I was raised to be a soldier and have stained my hands with countless people's blood. There is no comparison to be made between Colonel Jade Curtiss, also known as the Necromancer, who has taken thousands of lives on the battlefield, and Count Gailardia Galan Gardios, former servant of House Fabre, who has bought countless apples for breakfast."

"I—" A sharp look from Jade promptly cut his sentence off. "Sorry."

"There is no need for an apology," Jade said as he trained his eyes on the steel doorway. "I am but an unsympathetic person by nature."

"Still, I shouldn't have dumped these all on you. Or anyone for that matter."

"Keeping it to yourself isn't exactly going to help you keep yourself in check in the long run." Jade's thoughts flickered towards the signing on the peace treaty back in Yulia City, where Guy had to raise some of his pressing concerns of all places.

Guy must have been thinking of the same thing, for his expression darkened momentarily, then gave way to a sheepish smile. "Right."

Before Jade or Guy could say anything more, the door flew open.

Jade lightly placed a hand over his forehead and shook his head in disapproval. "Your Majesty, has no one ever taught you that it is rude not to knock before entering?"

"And didn't I tell you to quit calling me by that name?" Peony said. "It's Franz, remember?"

Jade sighed. "That is besides the point."

Guy then excused himself from the room, perhaps noting the sudden rise of tension in the air, which was slowly becoming palpable.

For a while, Jade and Peony simply engaged each other's gazes, neither willing to back down. Peony was the first one to give in, shrugging helplessly as he took the space Guy vacated.

"You going to talk to Saphir before we arrive at his namesake?"

"Is that an order?"

Peony sighed. "Just a strongly worded request from your so-called liege. Especially since you promised back in Sheridan. The poor soul has been quiet since you left, but I could tell that he desperately wants to talk to you."

"I am not in the mood to deal with listening to the ramblings of a mental asylum escapee."

"Come on, Saphir isn't that terrible!"

"You're not the one he followed around like some Yulia-forsaken puppy back in the day."

"That's true," Peony said, "But why don't you give him a second chance? He hasn't bothered you since you both started working again, right?"

For that, Jade had no words. Why indeed? Was he that adverse to reminders of his past? No. He was just annoyed with Saphir as was his custom. Annoyed that he followed him despite the unwanted vibes he was giving off. Annoyed that he whined and whined instead of bearing pain quietly. Annoyed that he kept on clinging to the past instead of moving on. And most of all, annoyed that he still considered him a friend, when he made it as clear as day that he did not want anything to do with him.

Yet, when all was said and done, he still turned to him as a research partner. There was no denying the other's prowess with fon machines, and who was he to refuse when a valuable resource willingly offered himself for the cause? Still, it did not explain why he agreed to be his parole officer and research partner once more back in the day.

"We'll be landing shortly to rest for the day," Peony said, getting up from the bed. "Gailardia and I will be hunting for food while you and Saphir set up camp."

"Wouldn't I be better equipped to handle our food hunt? While I trust Guy in this respect, you can't tell the difference between a Great Rugnican death cap from a regular one."

"Very funny, Jade. That was a long time ago." Peony threw him a sour look, as if daring him to say that he was kidding. "No, you still look a bit pale, and you just fended off a whole troop of soldiers." He placed his hands on his hips as he turned to face Jade. "Plus, we don't have any matches, and you're the one who knows his way around fire artes. I trust you could start a fire without burning the whole island."

"Don't tempt me."

"You'll need to rest first if you hope to do that," Peony said, gesturing towards the bed. "I'll wake you up once we land."

"Must you act like a mother hen?" Jade shook his head in disapproval, though his limbs _did_ feel like they wanted to sink into the bed. "Very well, in any case. I suppose these old bones could use some rest."

Peony grinned widely. "That's my Jade!"

Suppressing a shudder, Jade shot a pointed look at Peony. "Please don't use that disturbing name."

"Ehh, an eye for an eye," Peony said, his smile still plastered on his face.

"Weren't you taught not to play with fire?" Jade's eyes glittered dangerously as he smiled. "In any case, shall I teach you a lesson to that effect?"

"I'm not sticking around to find out." Still laughing, Peony made his hasty exit, leaving Jade to comply with his earlier order.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Jade woke up, and judging by the lack of movement, it seemed that they finally landed and that his companions already went on their way to do their assigned tasks. Slightly annoyed that Peony did not bother waking him up, he trudged out of the aircraft. After sparing a quick glance at a nearby small patch of woods, he made his way towards the nearest figure he could see on the moonlit field.

Much to Jade's dismay, it was Saphir. He was frowning at some wood gathered by his feet, clearly unsure of how to start a fire. Sighing, Jade began murmuring a spell under his breath and flicked his finger towards the firewood. Saphir did a double take as the wood lit up, flames licking his shoes as he hurriedly jumped back to stamp it out. He scowled behind him, only to meet Jade's piercing red gaze, causing his scowl to fade quickly. Cowed by Jade's look, Saphir averted his gaze and sat on a nearby log, folding his arms across his lap and leaning forward towards the fire.

For a while, the two simply stared blankly into the fire, until Saphir broke the silence that hung over them. "Jade? Why are you here?"

"His Majesty told me that you wanted to talk to me. So talk."

"I..." Saphir trailed off, surprise still etched on his face.

"Is it too much to expect coherence from a cockroach?"

"Can you turn off the snark for the moment and wait for a while?" Saphir glared at him. "I'm trying to gather my thoughts!"

Jade blinked in surprise at Saphir's outburst, a notable first in his history of outbursts. Saphir calling him out on his snark was certainly something celebration-worthy, as Jade was under the impression that Saphir took his caustic remarks to heart.

"Finally! You never took me seriously."

"You never acted like you deserved it."

Saphir's ears turned pink at the accusation, and for a moment, Jade thought he would rise to the bait. "Maybe you're right."

"Oh?" Jade raised a brow in response, his expression giving no hint of his surprise. Saphir? Acknowledging something other than his supposed genius? Was Auldrant flat as a mad scientist once proposed?

"I... didn't really know how to stand up for myself back in the day. It didn't help that I was snivelling fool always on your heels, worshiping the very ground you stood on."

"...Who are you and what have you done to Saphir?" Indeed, what happened to that ego the size of Mt. Roneal?

"I've had a lot of time to think about things and... I guess I changed." Saphir lifted his gaze towards Jade. His gaze was unsteady, but his tone was surprisingly even. "You once told me that people change and... I guess it took me a decade longer to do so. And to accept that as a fact of life. Among other things."

"'Among other things'?"

"I..." Saphir faltered, and upon realizing what he said, tore his eyes away from Jade, suddenly interested in the dancing fire before him. "Will you promise not to get mad?"

"I cannot."

"Right." Saphir grinned feebly. "Very well then. I might as well risk it." Getting up from his seat, he shuffled towards Jade, nearly tripping over a rock as he did so. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he regained his bearings, taking care not to stumble again. Hesitating for a moment once his eyes met Jade's, he visibly gulped as he raised a gloved hand to Jade's cheek. Tentatively tucking away a strand of Jade's hair, he tiptoed to press his lips against Jade's, who received it stoically.

Moments later, Saphir broke off, his expression that of astonishment. "...You didn't hit me."

Jade folded his arms and smiled serenely. "Do you want me to?"

"Yes—I mean, no!" Saphir's cheeks flushed once more, and Jade could have sworn he heard Saphir mutter something like, "hit on me," but he had no time to ponder it as Saphir spoke out loud once more. Still, Saphir ought to notice his lack of enthusiasm regarding the matter.

"...There's someone else, isn't there?"

And notice he did. "Excuse me?"

"Peony."

Jade burst into a laugh. Ridiculous. Beyond ridiculous. "We don't see each other that way. Besides, he's still busy pining for Nephry. Idiotic as he might be, he is not about to mistake me for my sister."

"Even so... You... really look like her right now."

"I'm not a woman, no matter how much I look like one."

"But does Peony know that?"

"I'm now fairly certain that the Kimlascan army must have swapped your brain with a rappig's, as I don't recall your mind being this retarded the last time we were researching fomicry."

Saphir folded his arms and pouted indignantly. "My mental faculties are in tip-top shape, thank you very much!"

"Then act like they are."

A still silence fell over the two, punctuated by the crackling of flames as they both steeled themselves, waiting for someone to speak.

Saphir unfolded his arms, still staring at the ground. "Hey, Jade?"

"Hmm?"

Saphir stole a glance at Jade and swallowed as he looked away once more. "I want to be by your side."

"I thought I told you to keep your head, Saphir."

"I know you don't feel that way about me." Saphir trudged on, as if taking no notice of his biting remark. "But still. No matter what." Biting his lip, he shifted slightly on his feet while clutching his own arm. "I know I sound like I'm forcing myself on you. Maybe I am. But that's the way I feel right now." He took a deep breath and raised his eyes to meet Jade's. "I love you, Jade."

"I don't."

A hurt look flashed across Saphir's face, and he hung his head as he muttered, "I know."

"Though... it would be wrong of me to say that I hate you," Jade said, pausing as he glanced at the nearby wooded area once more. Without waiting for a reply, he headed towards the small forest, leaving a slack-jawed Saphir in his wake.

* * *

"How long have you been listening in?" Jade asked with a beatific smile as he popped in behind two retreating figures.

"No, we just happened to pass by," Peony said as he smiled unabashedly at Jade, while Guy had the shame to look guilty at being caught.

"I see. It just so happened that you both positioned yourselves behind a tree, conveniently within earshot of our beloved campsite," Jade's smile turned icy as he turned to Guy, who returned his smile with a discomfitted one of his own. "Now, Guy, if you would be so kind to explain..."

"His Majesty thought he saw something when we were returning. Of course, I couldn't leave him to go off on his own, so I followed, and—"

"I wouldn't expect any less in the way of sorry excuses." The lines around Jade's mouth deepened. "You are dismissed."

"Sorry, Jade!" Bowing deeply while clutching what seemed to be an armful of berries to his chest, Guy scurried off towards where Saphir stood, leaving Jade with a beaming Peony and a small trail of berries in his haste.

Jade turned to Peony. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Peony said, a grin still plastered on his face. "Excellent love confession, by the way."

"Is that so?" Jade said, his smile turning impish. "Flattering as that sounds, would you like some assistance in waking up?" Fonons glimmered around Jade's arm as he summoned his spear, eyeing it thoughtfully. "I shall gladly assist you in doing so..."

"Fine, fine." Peony raised his arms in surrender. "No love confessions, just Saphir... being Saphir."

Jade dissipated his spear, folding his arms as he continued smiling. "How long have you known?"

"A while." Peony shrugged noncomittally as he folded his arms behind his head. "Who knows? Maybe since we were kids? Saphir's always got it bad for you, y'know?"

Jade grimaced. "Saphir is an idiot."

"An idiot who knows what he wants. Which leaves you as...?"

"A man who has no time for this nonsense."

"Saphir seemed very serious about it, if you ask me."

Feeling a headache coming along, Jade removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He has lost his mind while in Kimlascan captivity."

"You know, it would be easier if you just admitted you actually care for Saphir one way or another."

"This is rich coming from a person who once told me that he was a fool for believing I had feelings."

"Jade!" Peony's smile faded, his mouth drawn into a glower as he grabbed Jade's collar and pushed him back. "Can the snark for a moment and listen to me!"

Pain shot up Jade's back, his hair tie snagging on a low branch and snapping as he slammed against a nearby tree. "So you think you could figure it out when I, hailed as one of the greatest fonic geniuses in Auldrant, could not?"

Peony's grip tightened on his shirt. "Understanding feelings isn't like reading about advanced fonology!"

"Should it matter what kind of science it is if the one I'm talking to is an imbecile?"

Fury painted Peony's features for a moment, with fiery blue and cold red meeting as the two locked gazes.

"I..." Sighing resignedly, Peony let his arms fall to his side, his grim features stark in the moonlight that seeped through the trees. "It's all messed up, Jade."

He cast his eyes upon the ground, covering his face with a shaky hand. "Every time I look at you, I don't know who I'm seeing anymore. I... keep seeing Nephry, instead of my smart, cold-hearted childhood friend..."

"I was really scared, y'know." Balling his hand into a fist, he lifted his gaze heavenward. "When you took on all those soldiers on your own. I know I've sent you to dangerous places countless times, but... this felt different for some reason, and, urgh... Damn it!" He slammed his fist against another nearby tree, causing some leaves to flutter as they fell. "I... in a way, I guess I'm jealous of Saphir. He's so certain about what he wants and what he sees, and here I am, unable to tell the difference between you and Nephry..."

"Now, I'm truly convinced that you must have hit your head sometime during that battle we had this morning." Jade said, taking in Peony's pained expression with disinterest. So, Saphir actually had a point. An idiot could easily read the mind of another idiot, it would seem. "Else, you are stressed. Hyperbolic as it sounds, you have, in fact, lost almost everything precious to you. It is understandable if such has messed with your normal thought processes for the moment. Though I expect that once this is over, you should regain some sort of semblance of human intelligence."

Peony let out a weak chuckle. "I really shouldn't expect any sympathy from you, huh?"

"Isn't that a given?"

"Right, right." After letting out another small laugh, his gaze flickered past Jade's shoulder. "Your hair..."

Jade folded his arms and raised a brow, ignoring his disheveled hair. "I wonder whose fault it was."

"Wait a minute." Frowning slightly, Peony ran a hand through his pockets. "Here." He fished something out of his pocket and held out a small, polished object towards Jade. "Use this."

In the dim light, Jade could make out a bit of blue, and upon seeing its shape, he frowned. "...I thought I told you to throw that out."

"Must've forgotten." Peony shrugged indifferently. "Anyway, take it."

"No." Jade pushed up his glasses and averted his gaze from the all-too familiar cylindrical hair piece resting on Peony's palm. Upala. The precious stone he was named after—a stone of hope.

"And what are you going to use to keep your hair braided? The last time I checked, you left everything with Noelle and Ginji back in Sheridan. Use this for now, and throw it out once you're done or do whatever you want with it." Peony's tone was flippant, but his smile did not reach all the way to his eyes as he said the last statement. "I'll braid it for you."

"If you must." Jade sighed in defeat and grudgingly allowed Peony to braid his hair.

"You call this a braid?" Peony said disapprovingly as he expertly weaved through Jade's hair.

"I don't have time to keep up with the latest trends in fashion, as I'm a very busy man."

"I wouldn't call it a 'trend' as it is looking like a decent human being." Peony said as he continued with his task. "And done."

Jade did not need to look and would not admit it, but Peony probably did a better job on his hair than the sorry excuse he did earlier that day.

"Now, that's more like it." Satisfied, Peony took a step back and nodded as he admired his handiwork. "Also, once we're done eating, take a break for the rest of the trip—sleep through it if you must. No planning and strategizing until we reach Ortion Cavern."

"Is this another one of your strongly worded requests, Your Majesty?"

"No. It's an order. As a concerned... friend."

"How delightfully ironic." An amused smile escaped Jade. "But very well. I shall humor you for a bit. Pray tell, what will you do in case something comes up while I'm asleep?"

"The three of us will come up with something," Peony said cheerfully, a tone Jade found none too reassuring. "Seriously, though, we'll call you if we're unable to handle it. That fair enough?"

"I suppose so."

"Anyway, let's go back. Saphir must be getting all worked up since you left him hanging."

Jade suppressed a groan. "Don't remind me." Regardless, he followed Peony out of the forest, towards where the others waited.


End file.
